


I'm too old for goodnight kisses!

by Robron101



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Mother in law & son in law feels, a bit of angst, based off a gif, dad!robron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-26 05:28:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13851075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Robron101/pseuds/Robron101
Summary: He turns the night light on by Seb's bed as Robert's seven year old son crawls under the covers, freshly bathed and teeth brushed. “Alright, mate, you sleep tight.” Robert bends down, ready to brush back Seb's blonde hair to press a kiss to his forehead when Seb pulls the duvet up and over his head. “What are you doing?” Robert questions, mouth turning down at his son's hidden figure.“No!” Seb gave a put upon sigh. “I'm too old for goodnight kisses, Dad.”Robert went still, a memory from his own childhood conjuring in his mind.orRobert Sugden feels!





	I'm too old for goodnight kisses!

**Author's Note:**

> Based off a gif set [the-sugdens](https://the-sugdens.tumblr.com/)posted on tumblr of Robert and Sarah.

He turns the night light on by Seb's bed as Robert's seven year old son crawls under the covers, freshly bathed and teeth brushed. “Alright, mate, you sleep tight.” Robert bends down, ready to brush back Seb's blonde hair to press a kiss to his forehead when Seb pulls the duvet up and over his head. “What are you doing?” Robert questions, mouth turning down at his son's hidden figure. 

“No!” Seb gave a put upon sigh. “I'm too old for goodnight kisses, Dad.” 

Robert went still, a memory from his own childhood conjuring in his mind. 

-

_Sarah walked Robert upstairs to his room, making sure to remind him to brush his teeth before coming in where she would be prepared to tuck him in._

_Robert gave a long, suffering sigh as he moped into the bathroom to brush his teeth. He's ten now and didn't need his mum to treat him like he's a baby._

_After his teeth were brushed, mouth tasting like peppermint, Robert dragged his feet across the carpeted hallway to his bedroom. Sarah was already there, waiting patiently as Robert made his way over to the bed and climbed in._

_Sarah walked over, smiling at him and said. “Kiss!”_

_Robert outwardly groaned and pulled the duvet over his head as Sarah leant down to kiss him. “Get off!” He snapped as Sarah tried to pull the duvet back down but Robert jerked it back up again and shouted. “I'm too old for goodnight kisses!”_

_Sarah stopped fighting him, sighing she pulled away and Robert, assuming he'd won, let the duvet fall away from his face and looked up at Sarah who was frowning down at him._

_“Alright,” she said, tone low and filled with something Robert was too young to understand. “Goodnight Robert.”_

_Robert watched Sarah walk over and turn his light off, then go out the door closing it behind her as she went._

-

Robert had been too young to understand then but now he does and he must be feeling the same as she had then. Hurt. He knows Seb doesn't understand that, just as Robert didn't understand it then but if he had a choice he'd go back in time and get all the kisses he could from his mum. 

“Alright,” Robert said just as his mum had. “Goodnight Seb, I love you.” 

Robert turned out his light, the soft glow of the night light illuminating the room just enough to keep the darkness at bay. Walking out, Robert looks back to see Seb getting comfortable under the duvet and after a moment he shuts the door and leaves Seb to sleep. 

Downstairs he puts the radio on softly and sits on the sofa, beer in hand and thinks about his mum. He misses her, always will, Diane is great but she wasn't there when Robert was a child. She wasn't the one to tuck him in and give him kisses, to read to him and make sure he was safe. That had been Sarah and she's the one he thinks of when he thinks about his mum. 

The door opens to the Mill, chilly winter air blows in as Aaron loudly stomps his way in to clear the snow off his boots. “Hey,” he smiles, cheeks wind reddened and puffy coat swallowing him up. 

“Did I miss putting him down for the night?” 

“By thirty minutes,” Robert tells his husband as Aaron strips off his jacket. “You'll be there tomorrow night.” 

After removing his boots, Aaron joins Robert on the sofa, cold body pressing against Robert's warm one. “Liv get off okay?” 

“Yeah,” Aaron nodded, taking Robert's beer from him and drinking the rest of it. Robert knew Aaron well enough not to put up a fight over it, besides there are more in the fridge. “She's hoping to come back before the summer but she's not sure if she can manage it yet. She asked me to pass along my love to you and Seb.” 

“They'll all leave us eventually,” Robert said maudlinly. 

“Are you okay?” Aaron asked, taking hold of Robert's hand in his cold one. 

“Yeah,” Robert shrugged, “just being stupid.” 

“Nice try,” Aaron scoffed. “Talk to me,” he said in a gentler tone.

“You're gonna think it's stupid but… Seb wouldn't let me give him a kiss goodnight. Said he was too old for it.” 

“He's growing up,” Aaron said rationally. “He can't stay Daddy's Little Boy forever, no matter how much you want him to.” 

“I know, it's just - I said the same to my mum when I was little and I'd give anything to have her kiss me goodnight again.” Robert's voice broke at the end and Aaron's hand tightened around his own. 

“Your mum would be so proud of you,” Aaron whispered. Robert looked over him, heart stumbling at the small smile Aaron is giving him. 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah,” Aaron repeated. “She'd see what I see. A wonderful husband and father, an amazing brother to Vic and step-son to Diane. Sarah would see how far you've come and she'd be proud of her son, the same as I am.”

Robert swallowed around the lump that had risen his throat, trying to blink away the tears so they didn't fall. “You know sometimes - sometimes I look at you and Chas and get so jealous. I know it's stupid but I can't help it.” 

“You never told me that.” 

“Didn't want you thinking I was pathetic,” Robert admitted. 

“I’d never think that,” Aaron said, truth ringing in every word. “Seb's gonna grow up, but he'll always need his dad. You've done right by him, are doing right. That's what counts.” 

Robert gave him a watery smile, leaning over to kiss his husband. He wouldn't know what to do without Aaron. 

****

A week later sees Robert in the pub, Chas is behind the bar serving and Robert sits at the end of the bar and orders a pint from her. “Where's Aaron and Seb?” 

“Aaron had a last minute call out he couldn't do until today and since Seb didn't have school he wanted to go.” Seb might be Robert's biological son but sometimes he feels like Aaron and Seb have more in common than Robert and Seb does. Seb loves helping his Daddy Aaron work the scrapyard - under strict rules by Robert that he touch nothing sharp - and loves to dress like Aaron and talk like him. Once he'd caught Seb making moody faces in the mirror and Robert had asked him what he was doing and Seb had said - “I'm trying to be grumpy like daddy!” Aaron had blushed when Robert told him but the smile on his face showed how proud he was to be Seb's adopted dad. 

Robert and Chas chat for a bit and Robert never sees the way Chas keeps giving him these looks, even if he had he wouldn't have understood them, probably would've mistaken them for pity. After an hour of hanging around, Chas walks past him and her hands run through his hair, fingernails scratching at his scalp. He's surprised, it's something she does with Aaron or even Seb but never Robert. 

He ignores it, thinking she did it without thinking and since she didn't comment on it he felt safer ignoring it. Only thing is she does it ten minutes later when she's standing at the end of the bar next to him. Robert had said something that made her laugh, she was smiling fondly at him as she reached over ran her hands through his hair again but also leant over and pressed a kiss to his forehead. That's when it clicked. 

“Aaron told you didn't he?” 

Her hand paused where it's was running down the side of his cheek before pulling away. “He might’ve mentioned you were missing your mum and that sometimes you get a bit jealous seeing me and him together.” 

“Great,” Robert laughed hollowly. “You don't have to pity me.” 

“Robert that wasn't pity. I know I can't replace Sarah for you, just as Diane couldn't, but you're my son-in-law and I can be here for you if you ever need that.” She touched the back of his hand with gentle fingers. “I know we haven't always gotten along, and to be honest I've kept that distance because I thought you wanted it that way, but I'm here, if ever you want to talk or have someone listen.” 

Robert didn't know what to say. He figured Chas never tried to get close with him because she didn't trust him, not that she wasn't trying because she thought he didn't want her to. 

“Thanks,” Robert said sincerely, voice filled with emotion. 

She smiled at him and held her arms open, hoping Robert would meet her halfway. He did. They hugged, Chas’ hand on the nape of his neck the same way Sarah used to do it. If Robert hugged her a bit tighter she didn't say anything about it, only hugged him back the same. 

****

After dinner and a bath for Seb, Aaron and Robert get ready to tuck him in bed for the night. Robert reads to them as Seb and Aaron are curled up on his bed together. When he was finished he put the night light on and headed for the door as Aaron said goodnight. “Daddy?” Seb called out. 

Robert turned around, catching Aaron's smile as he went past him to walk over to Seb. “You can kiss me goodnight if you want.” 

“Thought you were too old?” Robert asked, a note of surprise in his voice. Aaron was watching them silently, smile still in place. 

Seb just shrugged and Robert knew that was the only answer he'd get. Smiling he bent down and pushed Seb's hair back, kissing him gently on the forehead. “I love you, mate.” 

“Love you, too.” Seb said and then closed his eyes. Robert turned the lights off followed Aaron down the hall to their bedroom. 

“Interesting,” Robert comments as Aaron strips down, changing into more comfortable clothes for the night. “This past week he hasn't asked me to give him a kiss once and suddenly he's changed his mind.” 

“Maybe he's not ready to grow up yet,” Aaron said as he shrugged on a pair of joggers. 

“Nice try,” Robert said, knowing Aaron too well. “What did you say to him today?” 

“I might've explained that those kisses aren't so much for him as they are for you. That they're important. I think he understood me.” 

Robert lets everything he feels for Aaron, all the love he carries inside, shine through in that moment. Robert can see Aaron swallow, smiling softly as he walked towards Robert and when they met they embraced and kissed. “I love you so much,” Robert whispered in Aaron's ear. 

“I love you, too.” 

“I don't know what I'd do without you, Mr Sugden” Robert admitted for about the hundredth time in their marriage. 

Aaron gave a humorous chuckle and said. “I don't even want to think about that.” 

Robert laughed with him, pressing their foreheads together. “There's something I want to ask you,” Aaron began tentatively. 

“Okay,” Robert said. 

“With Liv gone and Gerry having moved out a couple years back, this place has gotten pretty quiet. Seb's growing up and we're not getting any younger,” Robert grimaced at that; he's nearly 38. “I was thinking maybe you and me could have a baby.” 

“What? Really?” 

“Yeah,” Aaron said steadily, looking Robert in the eyes. “I always thought we'd have more than one. Do you want to?” 

Robert didn't have to think about it. “Yes!” 

“Really?” Aaron asked excitedly, face lighting up. 

“Yes, Aaron. I would love to have a baby with you.” Aaron kissed him softly and for a long time they stood there in the middle of their bedroom embracing. 

Robert can't stop Seb from growing up, can't stop his son from pulling away from him as he gets older no matter how much it frightens Robert. It’s inevitable, but he does know Seb won't be the only child to call him Daddy and share goodnight kisses with him and that's makes it a little easier to accept he won't have his little boy forever.


End file.
